Bryan Cranston continues to impress me. I’ve watched a half dozen interviews with the actor — hour long interviews, not those 4 minute talk show blurbs. His approach to the craft is wonderful. You get a sense that he treats it like a job. And if you watch the interview, you’ll see he’s the first to admit his blue collar approach.
Novice actors might be put off by that idea of treating acting like a job. Many creatives are put off by the idea that what they do is not this strange magic and is more akin to the work of a plumber. I would much rather have some sort of consistency out of creative work.
Cranston expresses the same idea in regards to the acting, that the more stable his normal life is, the more freedom he has to create chaos in the role. I love Cranston’s desire to teach and impart the wisdom he’s learned about the craft. I get a sense that each of his interviews is geared toward the wide-eyed young actor. Giving out advice the same as he’d hope to hear if he were the novice sitting in the audience. His craft is teachable, not just something you do without thought. That is why he’s able to discuss it. That’s why he can treat it like a job and share what has worked and what hasn’t.
For as much as Cranston talks about acting as a job, his demeanor in these interviews suggests that he is truly doing something he loves. You sense that he enjoys what he does and that being on set with him would be a blast. That is the gift of treating creative work like a job. You put in the effort, learn from the best, keep what works and leave the rest (his “bouquet approach”).
I knew early on that I didn’t want to have a job and work all week just to go spend evenings and weekends doing what I really love. It’s not that simple — no one’s gonna hand you the perfect life. But I think Bryan Cranston has it right and his quality of life and body of work is more than enough proof for me.
-AJ
